Beer pong tournament fundraises for Sudbury music festival

Sudbury's Northern Lights Festival Boreal is hoping the popularity of beer pong will put a little extra money in its coffers — and send some beer pong aficionados to an international event.

Festival volunteers will host a beer pong tournament Nov. 28. The winning team will be flown to Las Vegas to compete in the “World Series of Beer Pong,” which has a grand prize of $50,000.

The game, made popular among post-secondary school students, features a table shaped like a rectangle, with holes drilled on each end. Cups of water are seated in the holes and participants throw a ping-pong ball from one end of the table, with the goal to land their ball in a cup.

The game is traditionally played with beer.

Event organizer Mark Varrin said this version of the game focuses more on skill and responsibility, and doesn’t encourage drinking alcohol.

Northern Lights Festival Boréal also hosted a beer pong event at its recent Oktoberfest fundraiser.

Festival executive director Max Merrifield said beer pong was very popular.

“We saw how much of a hit this thing was,” he said.

Teams can register online or in person at the Northern Lights Festival Boréal office.

The event will take place Friday, Nov. 28 starting a 6 p.m. at the Sudbury Events Centre, formerly known as the Mine Mill Hall.

Even though the game features water instead of beer, alcohol will be served at the event so people must be of age to attend.